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The U.S. Attempt to Purchase Cuba
The United States wrote to Spain asking to buy Cuba from them. Spain later replied that they would rather see Cuba sunk in the ocean then sold to them. -
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Cuba's 1st war for Independence
Cuba's first war for independence started out in defense of the Cuban people. They were being taxed at a fairly high rate and were being used as slaves to work in sugar cane plantations. Spain in response sent General Gomez and his troops to contain the Cuban people and ultimately end the rebellion. General Gomez was killed in his first battle when he scouted further in front of his troops and died. Later in 1886, Cuba was able to get Spain to abolish slavery. -
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Jose Marti led Cuba's 2nd War for Independence
Jose Marti led a group of Cuban rebels to destroy some of the Spanish Sugar Cane plantations as a rebellion against Spain for Cubans to be freed. -
Yellow Journalism Begins in America
William Randolph Hearst was an editor for the New York journal. In 1895 he purchased the new york journal. He hired Davis to go to Cuba and sent back his findings and what he saw while staying there. When Davis arrived he saw the Spanish concentration camps that were holding the 300,000 Cuban people. He wrote about Weyler's cruelty to the people of Cuba and all the sick and starving people in the camps. When he sent the letters back to America they were published and sent out to the public. -
Valeriano Weyler was Sent to Cuba from Spain to end Cuba's 2nd War for Independence
Valeriano Weyler was sent to Cuba to end their 2nd war for Independence. His troops were successful in their mission to gain control over the Cuban people again. He placed them all into concentration camps where most died from either disease or starvation. -
US Attack on Manila Bay
On April 30th an American fleet in the pacific took off towards the Philippine Islands. The next day Comadere Dewey gave the commands to take fire at Manila bay. Within the span of a couple of hours Dewey's men had destroyed every ship there was in the harbor. Spanish troops in the Manila bay surrendered and the US was victorious. -
Naval Blockade of Cuba
While George Dewey went into the Philipines to attack Manila Bay another fleet of American troops were sent out into the Carribean to attack Cuba. Admiral William T. Sampson had effectively set up a blockade around the Spanish fleet in Santiago De Cuba. They defeated all the soldiers in the harbor and prepared for the real fight that was waiting for them in San Juan Hill. -
The US Invades Cuba
After getting off their boats and defeating the Spanish fleets in Santiago De Cuba's harbor the continued on invading Cuba to San Juan Hill. -
The Destruction of the Spanish fleet in Cuba
In the hard battle between the Spanish and The US troops featuring the "Rough Riders," the Spanish were severely outnumbered and had to retreat. The Spanish were defeated. -
Treaty of Paris
On December 10, 1898, the Americans and the Spanish met up in Paris to agree on a Peace Treaty. Spain freed Cuba and gave the islands of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the West Indies to the United States. They also sold the United states the Philipines for $20 million. -
Spanish Surrender the Philipines
After Dewey had destroyed the Manila Bay harbor they had no choice but to surrender the Philipines to the American soldiers. -
De Lome Letter
The De Lome Letter was a leaked letter written by Enrique Dupuy de Lome. The letter was written criticizing president Mckinley calling him "weak" and a "bidder for the admiration of the crowd". The embarrassed Spanish government apologized and had the administrator resign from his place in office. Americans were still fairly angry with the insult of their president. -
USS Maine Explodes
Only a few days after the De Lome Letter was sent out Americans became outraged.President Mckinley sent the USS Maine to bring home American citizens who could be put in danger by the fighting and to protect American properties.On February 15,1898, the front end of the ship exploded in the Havana harbor. More than 260 people were killed in the explosion. Later it was said that there was a bomb submerged underwater that made the ship explode but Yellow Journalists like Hearst blamed the Spanish. -
The U.S. Declares War on Spain
After the bombing of the USS Maine and the De Lome Letters, the American people were furious with Spain's attacks. Having had enough with Spain's antics President McKinley begrudgingly spoke to congress and on April 20th gave authority to use force against the Spanish. Spain agreed on April 6 to go to war. It was official the US had declared war on Spain. -
Battle of San Juan Hill
After fighting their way up kettle hill the troops continued forward taking down the famous battle of Kettle hill and going to San Juan Hill. Among the troops was Theodore Roosevelt and is friends the rough riders who led their fellow troops through the battle of Kettle hill and onto The battle of San Juan Hill. They defeated the Spanish soldiers and the battle was over, but the war was still raging on. -
The Armistice is Signed Between the US and Spain
After the battle of San Juan hill, both parties of the battle stopped. They counted their dead and wounded and rounded up their remaining troops. Both American and Spanish Parties were invited to meet up. They signed the armistice on August 12. -
The Capture of Puerto Rico
Ever since their transfer from Spain Puerto Rico had had some problems with the Treaty of Paris. They didn't want statehood or to be a part of America. They thought that having American soldiers fight to let them be free meant true freedom. But when they signed the treaty of Paris Puerto Rico was actually given to America from Spain. Puerto Ricans were furious and were basically put back in square one. They rebelled and were put into concentration camps for a while. But were later freed under th